AAPD-THE 2006 PAUL G. HEARNE/AAPD LEADERSHIP AWARDS

THE 2006 PAUL G. HEARNE/AAPD LEADERSHIP AWARDS

THE AWARDS PROGRAM
Up to two people with disabilities, who are emerging as leaders in their respective fields, will each receive $10,000 to help them continue their progress as leaders. They will also have an opportunity to meet and network with national disability leaders at the AAPD Leadership Gala in Washington, DC on March 8, 2006. U.S. residents with any type of disability are eligible to apply.
SELECTION CRITERIA
An "emerging leader" is defined as someone who has demonstrated leadership qualities in his/her personal and/or professional life, and who is just starting to be recognized at a local, regional or national level. Winners of The 2006 Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards must demonstrate all of the following:

Leadership achievements that show a positive impact on the broad community of people with disabilities or within their area of disability interest.

Connections they have made between individuals with disabilities and others in their communities.

A positive vision for the disability community and a continuing commitment to their leadership activities.

The demonstrated ability to collaborate with other leaders, to follow when necessary, and to cultivate new leaders within their organizations and communities.

Potential to contribute at a national level.

AAPD encourages emerging leaders with disabilities of any age to apply. The 40 previous awardees represent a diverse group of people with disabilities aged 11 to 56. Individual award recipients have: built a web site to educate people with psychiatric disabilities; gone into academia to direct the education of tomorrow’s social work professionals; worked to educate the public about the abilities of people with Down syndrome; raised money for accessible playgrounds across the country; and actively promoted the political participation of people with disabilities. For more information on many of the past awardees and what they have accomplished since receiving this award, visit AAPD’s web site, www.aapd.com and click on the link entitled “Past Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Award Recipients: Where are They Now”.
AAPD HONORS A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP
Paul G. Hearne was a tireless advocate and visionary leader with a lifelong disability who achieved success as a lawyer, nonprofit executive, foundation president, federal agency director, and mentor to countless people with disabilities. A passionate advocate for increased employment of people with disabilities, Paul opened doors for thousands through his leadership of Just One Break, an employment agency for people with disabilities in New York City, and The Dole Foundation for Employment of People with Disabilities in Washington, DC.
In addition to sharing his expertise and working as an advocate, Paul also positively affected anyone with whom he came in contact. He used his wonderful sense of humor and positive outlook on life to “win people over” in any situation.
Until he died in 1998, Paul was consumed with two burning passions: to create a national association to give people with disabilities more consumer power and a stronger public voice, and to cultivate potential leaders to carry on the disability rights movement. Paul achieved his first goal during his lifetime with the 1995 creation of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), now recognized as the largest and fastest growing force for consumer empowerment.
The Milbank Foundation for Rehabilitation established The Paul G. Hearne Leadership Awards in 1999 to honor their friend and to help realize Paul’s second goal by helping to find and support emerging leaders with disabilities.
In 2000, the administration of the awards program was turned over to AAPD. Funding for the 2006 awards were provided by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation; Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation; and Independence Technology, a company of Johnson & Johnson.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCEDURES
To be considered for a Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Award, a candidate must complete an application which includes a statement of no more than 700 words that addresses all of the selection criteria, as well as a letter of commitment from his/her mentor or supportive colleague who is prepared to work with the applicant in pursuing his/her leadership goals. Please note that, to avoid conflicts of interest, applications will be rejected if the mentor or supportive colleague is a member of the National Advisory Committee for the award (listed below), or a member of the Board or staff of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), or a relative of any of these individuals.
National Advisory Committee (NAC)
Day Al-Mohamad, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, American Council of the Blind
Joyce A. Bender, President and CEO, Bender Consulting Services, Inc.
Claudia Center, Legal Aid Society-Employment Center
Ann Cody, Vice President, B&D Sagamore
Daniel Davis, Policy Analyst, The National Council on Independent Living
Annie Forts, Up Syndrome Foundation, Center Harbor, New Hampshire
The Honorable Lex Frieden, Senior Vice President, The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, Houston, Texas
John D. Kemp, NAC Chair; Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville, P.C., Washington, DC
Ernest Okwara, MS, Chairman of the Board, John F. Spellman Center on Deafness, East Providence, Rhode Island
Helen Roth, AAPD Board Chair; Disability Consultant
James Weisman, General Counsel, United Spinal Association, Jackson Heights, New York
Applicants should be aware that, if they are selected for an award, they will be expected to:

participate in a video that highlights their leadership activities which will be shown at the AAPD Leadership Gala;

attend the AAPD Leadership Gala on March 8, 2006 and participate in a gathering for emerging leaders with disabilities on the day following the gala;

submit two articles of approximately 750 words each over the next 12-month period to be published in the AAPD quarterly newsletter, AAPDnews;

submit six advocacy pieces to the Justice for All (JFA) email listserv over the next 12-month period;

submit a report on the recipient’s leadership activities on the one-year anniversary of receipt of the award to be posted on the AAPD website, and provide periodic updates on leadership activities and accomplishments thereafter; and

promote The Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards program and work with AAPD to help grow the program.

The cash award will be disbursed in two $5,000 payments: the first payment at the Leadership Gala in 2006 and the balance contingent upon successful completion of the requirements at the first-year anniversary of receipt of the award.
Member Benefits | About AAPD | Join | Disability Resources | News | Contact Us | Calendar | Home